“I’ve seen how it’s changed peoples’ lives”

Nov. 26 2013

“It seemed like a good opportunity to do something different,” explains Brittany. Brittany has been a part of the Know Risks Peer Education team at AFG for almost two years. But before joining the team, she didn’t always feel like she had much direction in life.

The 17-year-old high school senior has a big smile and sparking brown eyes. She speaks with pride as she describes what she does as a part of the Know Risks team. “We go to [community organizations like] Vista Maria and Starfish and do workshops on healthy relationships, HIV, and self-esteem,” she explains. “I get to teach girls new stuff that they don’t know about…I’ve seen how it’s changed peoples’ lives.”

Learning responsibility

In helping others, Brittany has also been able to strengthen herself. She says that she has become much more independent since becoming a Peer Educator. “It’s teaching us how to be responsible for when we have a real job,” she explains.

She’s been able to improve her grades from C’s to A’s and B’s. She credits this improvement to being a Peer Educator. “I got more focused on my work,” she says proudly.

Brittany recently moved from the Know Risks team to a new Peer Education team focused on juvenile justice (stay tuned for more info!). This year, she plans to graduate from high school and go on to college. She wants to first become an RN, but ultimately she would like to become a pediatrician. She wants to transfer her love of working with other youth into being able to help children.